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Technology is a broadly applied term that can be taken to mean any practical application of scientific knowledge or any tool used for a practical purpose. Technology in music can refer to instruments, whether acoustic, electric, or electronic; engraving and printing; sound recording and playback; broadcasting; software; and much else. In its most common use, the term music technology tends to evoke images of synthesizers and computer programs used to perform or compose music. This bibliography stakes a middle ground between the broad and narrow conceptions of music technology, focusing on...

Technology is a broadly applied term that can be taken to mean any practical application of scientific knowledge or any tool used for a practical purpose. Technology in music can refer to instruments, whether acoustic, electric, or electronic; engraving and printing; sound recording and playback; broadcasting; software; and much else. In its most common use, the term music technology tends to evoke images of synthesizers and computer programs used to perform or compose music. This bibliography stakes a middle ground between the broad and narrow conceptions of music technology, focusing on mechanical, electric, electronic, and digital technologies developed since the late 19th century for the purpose of creating, disseminating, and listening to music. The scholarship on music technology is rich and diverse, representing many disciplines, practices, and musical styles. It would be fair, however, to call this scholarship multidisciplinary rather than interdisciplinary; that is, although scholars from many areas of academia write about music and technology, relatively little collaboration and cross-pollination have taken place. However, the recent publication of edited volumes bringing together the work of scholars of widely varying approaches, as well as the development of sound studies—a growing interdisciplinary field that addresses nonmusical sound as well as music—suggests a trend toward greater collaboration.